Island



(No Model.)

B; S. LAFAYETTE.

COVER, KETTLE, AND PLATE HANDLER. No. 448,243.

Patented Mar, 17, 1891-.

UNITED Sinirns Parent @rrrcn,

EDWARD S. LAFAYETTE, OF NORTH SMllllFlELl), Rl'IODE ISLAND.

COVER, KETTLE, AND PLATE HANDLER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 448,243, dated March 17, 1891.

Application filed August 4, 1890. Serial No. 361,028. (No model.)

To (tZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD S. LAFAYETTE, a citizen of the United States, residing in the town of North Smithfield, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented a certain new and useful Cover, Kettle, and Plate Handler, designed for the safe and convenient handling of heated kettles, plates, and similar vessels, and consisting of the combination of suitable jaws with the handle of an ordinary stove-cover lifter, so constructed and adjusted as to firmly grasp the edges of plates and sides of ordinary kett'es and other similar vessels for the purpose of handling them with safety and ease when in a heated state, of which the following is a specification.

The construction and the operation of this device are hereinafter fully described, and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 represents a side elevation of the tool. Fig. 2 represents the same view of the tool, shown as used in handling a heated kettle. Fig. 3 represents the reverse side elevation of the tool as used in handling heated plates or other similar vessels.

Similarletters refer to similar parts t-h roughout the several views.

A and B are respectively the upper and lower halves or arms of the handle slightly curved, made of cast-iron or any similar suitable metal, and hinged at G by means of a pintle passing through projecting ears cast on each half of the handle, the upper arm A of the handle being prolonged and flattened upon its under surface and extending forward and forming by a backward and a forward curve a double loop in shape similar to the letter S, the upper loop D enveloping the flattened prolongation E of the lower arm B. The lower loop F is flattened and its termination X is made concave in the line of its cross-section, so as to fit and bear closely up against the convex side of the ordinary metal pie-plate. It also forms the point or termination of the ordinary stove-cover lifter.

G is a curved lever, hinged at H by a pintle to a projecting ear cast upon the upper side of the arm A. The reverse or rear prolongation of the curved lever G is fitted with a fixed pintle P, adj usted to pass transversely through a longitudinal slot I in the lower arm 13 and loosely riveted upon the opposite side, so as to slide back and forth in the slot as the arms A and 13 are opened and closed. The forward prolongation K of the curved lever G is flattened and adjusted to meet and close upon a corresponding flattened projection L, extending forward from loop D and with K forming a pair of graspingjaws. The fiattened projection L is provided atits termination with a lip or upset r extending upward toward the upper jaw K. The curved lever G is provided with a pointed hook M, eXtending upward and backward. The lower arm B is prolonged beyond 0 and extends Within and is enveloped by the sides of loop D, and is flattened upon its under surface, forming an upper jaw E, adjusted to work against the lower inner flattened surface of loop D as an under jaw. The curvature of the arms A. and B maybe increased or lessened to suit the perpendicular or more or less flaring sides and edges of the kettles in use.

The operation of this device is as follows: The operator seizes the reverse end of the tool with his hand and closes the halves or arms of the handle, and the tool is then in convenient position for use as an ordinary stoveoover lifter. Now, when it is desired, for instance, to remove and withdraw heated plates or other similar vessels from a heated oven of a stove, or to change their position in the oven in the operation of cooking, the operator spreads the arms A and B, when the loosely-riveted pintle P moves forward in slot I and is carried downward, opening thereby jaws K and L, which are then made by the operator to inclose the edges of the plate or other vessel to be withdrawn. hen the hand of the operator closes the arms A and B, the loosely-riveted pintle P slides backward in slot 1, carrying upward the reverse end of lever G, and thus firmly closes the jaws K and L upon the edge of the heated plate or other vessel. The lip or upset on the under jaw L is especially adapted to engage with the folded or rolled over edge of the ordinary metal pie-plate, and the concave end or termination of loop F fits up against the convex side of the plate, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, and so serves to steady and assist the jaws K and L in holding the plate firmly,

when the same can readily be withdrawn or changed to a different position, as may be desired. Again, the operator often desires to remove the contents of a heavy heated kettle, which in its heated state it is very awkward and difficult to handle and somtimes dangerous on account of the escaping steam from the contents of the vessel striking upon and scalding the hands of the operator, as exposed to it in the usual modeof handling such vessels with the naked hand. He grasps the bail with one hand and seizes the handle A and B with the other, and with the hook M he removes the heated cover, and spreading the arms A and B the jaw E separates from the flattened lower inner surface of loop D and permits the loop D to hook over the side of the kettle, as seen in Fig. 2 of the drawings, when the operator holding the hail of the kettle with one hand firmly closes the arms Aand B with the other, and thus securely grasps the opposite surfaces of the side of the kettle between the jaw E and the opposing flattened lower inner surface of loop 1), whereby the kettle can be readily lifted and emptied and otherwise handled with ease and without injury to the hands of the operator from the steam escaping from the heated contents of the vessel when the same are being emptied, because, by means of the peculiar construction of the device, the hand of'the operator is not exposed at all to the action of the steam.

hat I claim as my invention is- 1. The combination of the lever G, provided with its loosely-riveted pintle P and 'jaw K, with the hinged arm B,having slot I, and the hinged arm A, provided with its flattened double curved prolongation, loops D F, having its termination or endX concave, and the jaw L, provided with its lip or upset Y, substantially as described.

2. The combination of thelever G, provided with its loosely-riveted pintle P and jaw K, with the hinged arm B, having slot I, and the hinged arm A, provided with jaw L, having thereon the lip or upset Y, substantially as described.

3. The hinged arm A, having a flattened double-curved prolongation D F, in combination with a hinged arm B, provided with its flattened prolongation jaw E, substantially as described.

EDlVARD S. LAFAYETTE.

Witnesses J OHN W. BENNETT, ALFRED H. LAFAYETTE. 

